Eastern Sierras: February 2023: Day 1: Blizzard

Eastern Sierras

February 2023: Day 1: Blizzard warning

Passing Olancha RV Park and Motel.

Just south of Big Pine. That is a lot of snow.

In Big Pine. Never seen that much snow here.

Pulling in to refuel, because... yeah. Can't be too prepared in a blizzard.

Jack-knifed big rig. Not too many on 395 itself but reports of plenty on the smaller highways.

First inkling that 395 is ACTUALLY going to be closed.

Never paid attention to Highway 6 til now.

Passing Paiute Palace Gas Station and Casino.

Leaving Bishop, US-395 is actually pretty clear.

Then it got less clear, and visibility much more poor.

Finally, 10 miles north of Bishop, actual CHP roadblock closing US-395.

Bunch of cars who'd turned around and parked, hoping US-395 would reopen soon.

Lucas loves pizza.

Heavy snow heading south towards Olancha.

Feels like hyperspace.

Channeling Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon.

Or hoping we don't crash.

Did not expect to stay in the Olancha RV Park and Motel almost exactly a year later.

Wet, sticky snow falling.

The main building of the RV park and motel bathed in snow and colorful lights.

Inside the "two bedroom" trailer.

One bedroom.

Second bedroom and half bath.

And the couch for me.

Lucas wanted MORE pizza.

First blizzard warning in California's Eastern Sierras since 1989 threw down enough snow to completely close US-395 between Bishop and Mammoth, and laid down plenty of snow elsewhere to make things plenty dicey-- as far south as Mojave.

We trudged straight throgh two supposed closures of US-395 further south that weren't closures at all (saw zero sign of any closures except on maps), but saw plenty of snow on the ground. News of closures finally started looking serious in Bishop, although the road out of Bishop the first few miles was actually pretty clear (!); wasn't til the climb started that conditions worsened and then we ran into the CHP closure and a ton of cars optimistically hoping 395 would open.

Managed to beat the rush into the only open pizza joint in Bishop for dinner. They looked short-staffed and the pizza was more ordinary than anything else, but the salad wasn't bad and we needed to avoid scurvy. Then we trudged south to the nearest motel room we could find, through snow falling hard enough to feel like we were driving through hyperspace.

Did not expect to return to Olancha RV Park and Motel so soon, but at least this time was able to snag a trailer instead of a teepee for the group. It was pretty barren even for a motel room, with floors that definitely needed to be mopped, but sure beat sleeping in the car. The barren kitchen at least had a refrigerator, and there was not only electric heat but running water and our own bathrooms.